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Supreme Court Upholds Jailhouse Strip Searches, Even for Traffic Infractions
A 5-4 majority of the Supreme Court has ruled that jails may constitutionally strip-search anyone admitted to the jail, no matter how minor the reason they're in jail. Writing in dissent, Justice Breyer observed that "the harm to privacy interests would seem particularly acute where the person searched may well have no expectation of being subject to such a search, say, because she had simply received a traffic ticket for failing to buckle a seatbelt…"
Actually, in the case at issue in this decision, the subject of the strip-search was erroneously arrested for something that isn't even a crime: Albert Florence was arrested for not paying a fine that in fact he had paid, and in any event not paying a fine is not a crime under New Jersey law, it's a civil infraction. As I noted previously about this case:
This line of cases should be extraordinarily troubling for civil libertarians. When you combine cases finding no Fourth Amendment violation when the police arrest and detain you even for very minor offenses — even offenses that aren't actually arrestable offenses under state law — with cases finding no Fourth Amendment violation when jail guards strip-search you after booking on a minor offense, basically we're giving the police a green card to find any pretext to have anyone they don't like arrested, jailed, and strip-searched. Read the Atwater dissent, Part II, if you don't think this could be a real problem.
I haven't yet had time to read the full SCOTUS opinions, so perhaps I'll have additional thoughts later, but you can find all the opinions and other materials here at SCOTUSblog.
Some Twitter reactions:


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The United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued a first Office action declaring all twenty claims of one of Apple's key multitouch patents invalid. The decision that was filed Monday isn't final, but Apple will have its work cut out for it in order to overturn the initial ruling before it's set in stone.
US Patent #7,479,949, claiming a "[t]ouch screen device, method, and graphical user interface for determining commands by applying heuristics," essentially covers iOS's ability to respond when a user is trying to scroll vertically in a document, or trying to move around within the document in multiple directions. It also covers iOS's ability to discern the difference between swiping among images in a gallery, or panning or zooming within the image.
The patent is sometimes referred to as the "Steve Jobs patent," as Jobs' name is listed first among the many Apple engineers cited as inventors of the patented claims.
Apple has asserted the '949 patent in several venues, particularly in federal court against HTC and Motorola, and at the International Trade Commission against Samsung. Apple and HTC settled the 50 separate lawsuits pending between the two companies, reaching a highly publicized agreement to cross-license certain technologies. Judge Richard Posner ruled several of its claims invalid, but eventually tossed the suit between Apple and Motorola before it ever reached trail.
However, a judge at the ITC has initially ruled that the patent in question is valid and that Samsung (in separate litigation with Apple) infringed its claims. The final ruling in that case could come as soon as February.
A first Office action from the USPTO is usually just the first step of many in the process of re-examining a patent. However, as FOSS Patents noted, the fact that all 20 of the claims were rejected on an initial basis means that Apple will have to make a very convincing case to the USPTO that the patent should not be revoked.
The USPTO recently issued a first Office action invalidating another important Apple multitouch patent which covers iOS's "rubber banding" effect. You see this effect when you try to move past the edge of a document, image, or list; you can pull past the edge, but then it "bounces" back into place when you stop. A jury ruled that Samsung infringed this patent in 18 devices that were part of the Apple v. Samsung trial.

subset: commoncrawl


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Winnebago Quilts: Honor and Celebration
Star Quilt
Writer: Suzanne Smith Arney
A Star Quilt hangs above the library's circulation desk. A single star pieced of vibrantly colored diamonds dominates its field of light blue. At its center is an appliqued buffalo, engrossed in a book. The quilter, Maria Scott, was commissioned to make the banner, which encourages reading. It's an engaging and light-hearted image, but it's emphatically and assuredly of this particular place-The Winnebago Indian Reservation-in its style and motif. Buffalo is one of the tribe's sacred clans; they serve as public criers, messengers. In this case, the quilt is the medium that supports the buffalo's message.
Little Priest Tribal College Library Quilt; 2003. 76 inches square. Pieced by Maria Scott (quiltmaker unknown.) This quilt was commissioned for the college's new library and made by Maria Scott in time for its 2004 opening. Photo courtesy of Natalie Davis.
Historical Value
Around the world, quilts have, from earliest times, had emotional as well as functional purposes. Quilts convey status, affiliation, pedigree. They are a canvas for artistic expression and technical virtuosity; a banner for opinions and beliefs; a testament of piety. Some are the "silk purses" of spare lives; the prototype for recycling. Others are extravagant and exquisite nonpareils made for display. Within certain groups especially, quilts provide emotional warmth and protection; their various pieces, like the members of the community, are stitched together into a vibrant and affirming life force.
Buffalo Quilt. Maria Scott. (This is not technically a quilt, but piecework, behind glass.) This quilt is hung in the Spiritual Room at the Winnebago Hospital. Photo courtesy of Muriel Walker.
Timeless Tradition
This last statement describes the role of quilts among the Winnebago people. From the first lessons taught by 19th-century Euro-American missionaries and settlers, Winnebago have layered their own skills and motifs onto patterns that had been carried west across centuries and continents. Many Winnebago have themselves moved west, relocated by the U.S. government during the 1840s-1860s from their woodlands home in Wisconsin onto the open plains, historic territory of the Sioux.
Skirt panel (in progress). Nona Buffalo Calf. Ribbonwork, a form of reverse appliqué, features stylized motifs of flora and fauna, representing the tribe's wooded ancestral homelands. Designs are individualized, and identify a person's clan and family. Photo courtesy of Muriel Walker.
Popular Pattern
The quilt pattern most associated with Plains Indians is a Star quilt, an eight-pointed star made of hundreds of diamond-shaped pieces. It fit well with the Winnebago own tradition of using star motifs on buffalo robes.
White Buffalo Quilt; 2009. 96 inches square. Hand pieced and quilted by Velma Alaniz. White Buffalo Woman is a powerful deity and messenger. Photo courtesy of Muriel Walker.
Generation to Generation
For Winnebago women, with a long tradition of skilled needlework, quilting was a natural progression. Quilters on the Winnebago Reservation in northeastern Nebraska, like those of the Sioux tribes, developed a tradition of Star quilts for their own use as household necessities and as a marketable commodity.
White Buffalo Quilt. Velma Alaniz, a Winnebago elder, offered a quilting class this spring. Instead of using strips of fabric, she sews the diamond pieces together individually. "Elders' role as teachers is vital to our survival as a tribal entity," says Muriel Walker, "for they possess all of the stories and information that are passed down to the next generation." Photo courtesy of Muriel Walker.
Giving Nature
In addition to their association with a particular pattern, Plains Indians' use of quilts, as ceremonial gifts and as symbols of honor, distinguish the community. Winnebago Star Quilts have been given to political and religious leaders; they grace the schools and hospital walls; they accompany men and women in the armed services and welcome them home again; they wrap newborns and shroud the dead.
Baby quilt. Machine pieced and quilted by Patrice Blackhawk. Photo courtesy of Muriel Walker.
Emotional Expression
When T.J. Smith died after a car accident in August, 2009, the daily business of Winnebago was put aside to mourn the loss of this young man and to show support to his family. Quilters immediately went to work, producing five quilts in time for his funeral. Scott worked twelve hours nonstop to intuitively design and then piece a quilt depicting a bald eagle soaring over the earth. The eagle is fashioned with the same diamond shapes as the star, in some cases piecing together two or three colors to make one diamond. Below the star is written "Wambli Oyate Owayankapi." Smith was of Winnebago-Sioux heritage, and the inscription is his Sioux name, "Eagle nation watches over him."
T.J. Smith quilt: cotton; 100x90 inches; 2009. Designed and pieced by Maria Scott; Quilted by Patrice Blackhawk. A give-away quilt, honoring the memory of T.J. Smith. Photo courtesy of Garan Coons.
From the Heart
Another quilter, Sharon Redhorn, learned quilting from her grandmother, Imogene Redhorn. "She gave me a practice piece in an embroidery hoop when I was ten or eleven," she remembers. "She'd get pieces from old clothing. She was thrifty. She didn't like to throw anything away." Redhorn treasures three fragile quilts made by her grandmother. "She liked quilts because they were useful, and more than that, they came from the maker's heart."
Traditional ribbonwork appliqué highlights the skirt and purse of Savannah Chamberlain's dance regalia sewn by her mother, Sharon Redhorn. Photo courtesy of Don Doll, S.J., Creighton University.
Look to the Future
Today, Redhorn is teaching her daughters, Winona and Savannah, those needle skills, and more. "I tell them the stories my grandma told me." Redhorn especially enjoys making the girls' dance regalia. To embellish the dance regalia worn by her daughters for powwows, Sharon uses another traditional Winnebago stitching technique: wawaje or ribbonwork, a version of mirror-image appliqué. Redhorn puts a thin batting under her ribbonwork to give it a trapunto effect. Redhorn and her daughters travel to powwows and frequently dance together. "This is what keeps us close," she says. Sharon and others teach quilting at Woodland Trails Art Center in Winnebago, Nebraska. Whether for income or giveaways, quilts represent the history, culture, endurance, practicality, and beauty of their makers and of the Winnebago people. Each one is both an honoring and celebration.
Savannah and Winona, daughters of Sharon Redhorn, wear regalia for celebration dancing. Photo courtesy of Don Doll, S.J., Creighton University.
On Display
Visit the Woodland Trails Art Center, Winnebago, Nebraska, May 25 to June 22 to view The Winnebago Star Quilt: Piecing Together a Legacy, an exhibition of quilts featuring traditional and contemporary interpretations of Winnebago history and culture. Quilters stitch, piece, and quilt the stories and their memories of what it means to be Winnebago. Reception to meet the artists May 25; Chuck Raymond Gallery; for details, call 402/878-4075 or visit woodlandtrailsart.com.
The Woodland Trails Art Center is located in the Missouri River bluffs of northeast Nebraska, on the Winnebago Indian Reservation. It is 66 miles north of Omaha and 25 miles south of Sioux City, Iowa. The retail store/gallery/studio has fine art pieces, quilts, jewelry, home decor, and clothing. Nearby is the open-air "Honoring the Clans" sculpture Garden.
Muriel Walker, Woodland Trails Sales and Learning Center Coordinator, and Jack Vitito display two quilts by Patrice Blackhawk. Photo courtesy of Jeremy Staab.
Popular Pow-wow
The Winnebago Pow-wow (July 22–25, 2010) bills itself as the oldest pow-wow in North America and is open to the public. This gathering of Native and non-Native people is a celebration of Native culture and honoring of military heroes. Experience singing, drumming, dancing, regalia, food, and crafts. Veteran's Memorial Park, Winnebago, Nebraska. For information, e-mail Maria at firstname.lastname@example.com or call
Oak Leaf Quilt. Hand-pieced and hand-quilted by Marguerite Johnson. Although decidedly different from ribbonwork, this quilter celebrates nature in her own personal way. She also subtly honors the sacred significance of the number four and the concept of balanced wholeness. Photo courtesy of Muriel Walker.


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It has been a week since we introduced comment voting on Ars, and the consensus among the staff, readers on Twitter, and a handful of people who have reached out to me by e-mail is that it's working. And by "working," I mean "improving discussions on the site." In the time since we rolled out the feature, there have been nearly 46,000 votes cast.
Yes, there have been several instances where we can clearly see someone getting downvoted merely because their innocuous opinion was expressed poorly, or in the wrong context. But what we are generally seeing is that comments are being fairly rated. We've also noted that sincere criticism of our coverage has been preserved, and in many cases voted up vigorously. In short, I do not feel at this time that we run any risk of an "echo chamber" effect, so we're going to continue with our voting system. We're even expanding it.
Today we are introducing thresholds. The concept is simple. When a given post achieves a predetermined number of votes (either negative or positive), it will change the way it is displayed in the thread. Posts with high ratings will receive a green "Reader Fav" badge, to make them easy to spot—and in the future we may call them out in other ways. In the other direction, posts that receive enough negative votes will become faded, and once they cross a certain threshold, they will be collapsed. You will still be able to click to expand the comment.
The goal here is simple. Highlight the content the community finds most valuable, while reprimanding the content that it does not. After just a week of voting, it is very clear to me that readers writing the comments have all the power. It's rarely what one has to say that earns them positive or negative votes, but how they say it.
We are starting with thresholds of 20—both positive and negative—with posts fading at -15, but we may adjust this in the coming days.


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October 18th, 2012
Billy Graham buys election ads after Romney meeting
By Eric Marrapodi CNN Belief Blog Co-Editor
Washington (CNN) - The most famous and revered pastor in America, Billy Graham, is calling on voters to cast a ballot for their faith in full-page ads in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today and other newspapers.
Graham's picture appears prominently in the ads, next to copy that reads, "As I approach my 94th birthday, I realize this election could be my last."
It continues, "I believe it is vitally important that we cast our ballots for candidates who base their decisions on biblical principles and support the nation of Israel. I urge you to vote for those who protect the sanctity of life and support the biblical definition of marriage between a man and a woman. Vote for biblical values this November 6, and pray with me that America will remain one nation under God."
The ad hit the prominent papers Wednesday and Thursday, and could hit a dozen more newspapers, a week after the famed evangelist met with Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney at Graham's Montreat, North Carolina, home and less than a month after his son Franklin Graham issued a full-throated endorsement of Romney in a USA Today opinion piece.
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Shortly after the meeting with the Grahams and Romney, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association scrubbed prior references to Mormonism as a cult from its website because, the association said, "we do not wish to participate in a theological debate about something that has become politicized during this campaign."
Romney is a longtime member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Last week's meeting between Romney and Graham was their first.
After the 30-minute sit-down in Montreat, just outside Asheville, Romney campaign spokesman Rick Gorka told reporters that Billy Graham led a prayer for the Romneys, saying "I'll do all I can to help you. And you can quote me on that."
The evangelist, who has been called America's pastor and has prayed with every American president since Harry Truman, said in a statement following the meeting that "it was a privilege to pray with Gov. Romney, for his family and our country."
Graham met with President Barack Obama in 2010 and with Sen. John McCain when he was the presumptive Republican presidential nominee in 2008.
CNN's Belief Blog: The faith angles behind the biggest stories
The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association said the new ads were paid for by "friends who support the ministry" and that no general ministry funds were used.
"The ads intentionally do not mention any candidate, political party, or contest, urging instead for readers to cast votes for candidates, at all levels, based on their support for biblical values," the group said in a statement.
Billy Graham's long-time personal spokesman, A. Larry Ross, said of the ads, "[Graham] is challenging citizens, particularly the faith community, on how to vote, rather than for whom to vote."
Ross said the 93-year-old is still active with the ministry, though not necessarily with the day-to-day operations. In this case, he said Graham was consulted about the ad and signed off on it.
"This ad is consistent with both the mission of the BGEA and Billy Graham's personal methodology to diligently and consistently remain politically neutral and nonpartisan throughout his public ministry," Ross said.
"Against the backdrop of moral decline and a cultural shift in our nation that reflects timely issues, Mr. Graham's quotation in the ad is an extension of his faithful preaching of a timeless message and strong stand on biblical values for more than six decades."
The campaign also includes bulletin inserts and posters of the ad for churches to download and distribute.
soundoff (2,816 Responses)
About this blog
The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.


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'Turtles' tops weak debut for 'Expendables 3'
NEW YORK | Moviegoers shelled out for "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," while Sylvester Stallone's action ensemble "The Expendables 3" was easily out-gunned in its weekend debut.
Paramount Pictures' rebooted reptiles took in $28.4 million in the film's second weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday. That far surpassed the limp $16.2 million earned by Stallone's gang of aged but buff warriors.
The paltry, fourth-place total for "The Expendables 3" is well below previous debuts in the Lionsgate franchise. The last two "Expendables" opened with $34.8 million (in August 2010) and $28.6 million (in August 2012). The third film was the first to be rated PG-13 in the previously R-rated series, which potentially signaled watered-down explosiveness to an audience that was largely over 25, anyway.
"Expendables 3," which features a sprawling cast of Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Harrison Ford, Mel Gibson and others, also leaked online before its release, potentially damaging its impact in theaters.
Instead, Marvel's "The Guardians of the Galaxy" came in second with $24.7 million, bringing its three-week cumulative total to $222 million for distributor Walt Disney. Along with the Nickelodeon Movies-produced "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," the cosmic romp starring Chris Pratt has helped restore some strength to the summer box office. Sequels are already in the works for both films.
After box-office returns well off the pace of last summer, Hollywood has made a slight comeback in August, typically a dumping ground for studio leftovers. The summer overall is still running at a 15 percent deficit from last year's record-breaking season, but the gap had once been above 20 percent. August is up 14 percent on last year.
"It's called the dog days of August for a reason," said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for box-office tracker Rentrak, "but thankfully in a summer with a lot of ups and downs, this has been a really good August."
A busy weekend slate also helped. Opening in third place was the 20th Century Fox buddy comedy "Let's Be Cops," starring Jake Johnson and Damon Wayons Jr. It took in $17.7 million.
Also debuting was the Lois Lowry adaption "The Giver," a dystopian young-adult tale starring Jeff Bridges and Meryl Streep. The Weinstein Co. release opened with an estimated $12.8 million.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released on Monday.
1. "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," $28.4 million.
2. "Guardians of the Galaxy," $24.7 million.
3. "Let's Be Cops," $17.7 million.
4. "The Expendables 3," $16.2 million.
5. "The Giver," $12.8 million.
6. "Into the Storm," $7.7 million.
7. "Hundred-Foot Journey," $7.1 million.
8. "Lucy," $5.3 million.
9. "Step Up All In," $2.7 million.
10. "Boyhood," $2.1 million.


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UPDATE: Pacific Power crews fully restore electrical service
SISKIYOU COUNTY – Pacific Power crews have fully restored electrical service in Happy Camp and southern Oregon after crews worked for a week to repair damaged utilities on impassable roads in snowy conditions, stated a press release issued Friday by Pacific Power.
The full restoration of power was stalled as a result of the massive weather event that dumped wet, heavy snow in southern Oregon and northern California, toppling trees, closing roads and knocking out power to thousands of Pacific Power customers.
At its peak late Dec. 20, approximately 22,775 customers were affected. By the next morning, there were still 14,000 customers without electric service in the region. The final two customers were put back in service Dec. 28, stated the release.
When the storm hit, Pacific Power took immediate action to mobilize crews from throughout the northwest, including contract crews and crews available from other utilities, stated the release. Even with hundreds of field and support personnel brought in, assessments made it clear that restoration could take days for many customers – especially in more remote areas due to blocked roads, landslides, broken trees, damaged poles and miles of downed wire.
The Yreka and Happy Camp areas as well as Josephine County in southern Oregon were particularly hard hit, the release stated.
In Happy Camp, blocked access forced Pacific Power to request emergency debris removal assistance on Dec. 23 from California State Emergency Management to help clear roadways and assist in restoration efforts. Many access routes were in hazardous areas, including canyons and hillsides.
Meanwhile, dangerous driving conditions during that time closed nearly all major roads into Grants Pass and caused periodic closures of Interstate 5, which slowed the equipment mobilization of repair crews and delayed restoration in southern Oregon.
Snow was so heavy on trees and lines that crews found themselves installing new poles and wire in the same locations multiple times, as trees continued to fall, the release explained.
All possible resources were deployed, including helicopter patrol of lines when weather permitted, snow cats, ATVs and even snow shoes when those were the only options.
By the morning of Dec. 26, restoration work was at a point where there were more people working to repair damage and restore power than there were customers still without service – 122 working to restore 119 customers in the more remote pockets around Grants Pass, and 135 working to restore 131 customers in Happy Camp, the release noted.
Poles were erected and wire was put up Friday to restore the final two customers in Happy Camp.
In total, preliminary reports indicate more than 85,000 feet of wire was replaced, along with 51 poles, 335 crossarms and 56 transformers. Some 440 total staffing resources worked through the multi-day effort, including linemen, support staff, flaggers, tree trimmers, storekeepers and others. Pacific Power personnel were aided by seven mutual assistance crews from Portland General Electric, Eugene Water & Electric Board, and Redding Electric Utility.
Throughout this event, there were many stories of generosity within hard-hit communities, stated the release. The Red Cross offered warming centers and shelters to those needing assistance. The Siskiyou County Office of Emergency Services conducted wellness visits via snow cat to outlying areas to check on residents. And, the Karuk Tribe provided hot meals at the Karuk Tribe Resource Center, including warm turkey dinners on Christmas day.
"These actions – neighbors helping neighbors – are part of what makes us proud to serve these communities," said Doug Butler, vice president of operations for Pacific Power in the release. "We're all hopeful that winter will be kind, but our crews are prepared to respond to whatever comes our way. It's what we do, and it's always rewarding to get the lights back on for our customers."
He added, "We are so appreciative of our customers and their patience while our crews worked through treacherous conditions to get service restored. We stayed on the job 24/7 through Christmas day and beyond, but we were always very aware that, while we were working on these repairs, our customers were also spending the holidays very differently from how they'd planned."
Through it all and despite the difficult terrain and weather conditions, only one minor injury was reported – a logistics worker slipped on ice. He was checked and went back to work, the release noted.
"Working in these extreme conditions for many days on end can be especially hazardous, so it's a credit to all involved that safety continued to be at the forefront and that they were all able to return home injury free," said Butler. "This same concern for safety is why we encourage our customers to take all necessary precautions to be prepared for any emergencies, including outages, and to follow important safety guidelines during an outage event."
To read the safety tips, visit pacificpower.net/safety.


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I'm a twenty-something WoW fan – I should really say 'late twenties' at this point. I like to talk about
strict ten raiding, art, guild leading, DPSing, healing, and magical baked goods. Sometimes I write about my bumbling attempts at tanking or other useful things. I post some art about once a week or so. I am usually available for art commissions if you like what you see here. I've done several banners for different bloggers and a fair number of character commissions.
(Blog banners: Righteous Defense, Cannot Be Tamed, Kiss My Alas, Haz Mace Will Raid).
Formerly Known as…
Last year, I started a little blog about the adventures of my World of Warcraft paladin alt, Vidyala. I called it Pugging Pally. The goal was to level her entirely using the LFD tool. In the end, it wasn't entirely but it was pretty close! As that project came to a natural conclusion (she reached the level cap!) I gradually transitioned the blog to more general WoW topics. The problem became that it didn't sound like a general WoW blog – it sounded like a paladin blog, but it really wasn't.
After giving it some thought, I decide to pack up my things and move to a blog with a more appropriate name. My main character is a mage, but more specifically – all of the characters I play with any regularity have one thing in common – that blue bar at the bottom! Manalicious was the best cooking daily in The Burning Crusade, the name was suggested by Rades, and the rest is history! I owe thanks to my guildie, Id, who helped me with CSS and other confusing dilemmas. I hope folks who liked the Pugging Pally will settle in here where I can about my mage, paladin, druid, shaman, priest, and anything else related to WoW that strikes my fancy. (There may even be more recipes. The blog is, after all, Manalicious.)
My guild
My guild is Business Time of Moonrunner US, and my main character is Millya. During the height of our strict ten achievements (before we let our ranking lapse) we were tenth in the US relative to other awesome strict ten guilds. We finished Wrath of the Lich King with a heroic Lich King kill to earn Bane of the Fallen King and we couldn't be happier!
You can contact me at puggingpally AT gmail dot com or via comments here if you have any questions, that's still my e-mail address until I change it. I am also known to hang out on Twitter extensively here.


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This article has been of help to me.
RTI and Reading: Response to Intervention in a Nutshell
The effort to understand Response to Intervention (RTI) has occupied many thousands of hours and hundreds of position and policy statements, white papers, consensus documents, and research articles. RTI is a process intended to shift educational resources toward the delivery and evaluation of instruction, and away from classification of disabilities. RTI is not a particular method or instructional approach. The success of RTI depends on the timely delivery of research-based instruction by highly qualified instructors. Although RTI can be implemented at any grade level, it is likely that the development of language and literacy skills will be addressed most prominently in the early grades, kindergarten though third grade.
The sheer volume of information that is available on RTI, much of which poses more questions than answers, makes it difficult for parents, educators, and other interested parties to develop a basic conceptual understanding of the process. The following is a brief guide to RTI and reading; it does not reflect how RTI will be implemented in all cases. The guide avoids detail on such issues as the changing roles of school professionals and parents; the need for reallocation of human and economic resources; staff development; or how to choose among methodological alternatives. However, this "nutshell" framework may provide a foundation upon which the interested, albeit not profoundly involved, individual can gradually build a working understanding of the process.
Valid screening measures predict who is, and who is not, at risk for future reading difficulty. These measures are administered to determine if a child is at risk for failing a state's "high stakes" end of year achievement test, by which the state measures a school's overall performance. Children considered to be "at risk" are expected to experience difficulty responding (not keeping up) in the core curriculum as traditionally delivered in the regular general education classroom. Note: Due to the desire to capture all children who are truly "at risk," the false positive rate of early screening may be as high as 50 percent. In other words, as many as half of all the children who are identified as "at risk" by early screening may not be truly "at risk."
Core curriculum in the regular general education class should be research-based and field tested. This means, based on evidence from converging research, that the core curriculum contains all the elements found necessary to effectively teach reading and has a known track record of success. Such curriculum is to be delivered by "highly qualified" teachers sufficiently trained to deliver the selected instruction as intended, i.e., with fidelity to design.
Provide "at risk" children with enhanced opportunities to learn, possibly including, but not limited to, additional time exposed to the core curriculum in small groups (3-6 students), other supplementary instruction, or special education.
Probe (progress monitoring)
Progress monitoring tests are brief measures of specific reading skills that are administered to determine if the child receiving intervention is responding as intended. They are given frequently, at least once every two weeks.
Progress is regularly charted to provide a visual record of actual rate of gain in specific reading skills in relation to a specified goal. The goal of intervention is for the child to improve relative standing and perform at or closer to grade level standards and is individualized according to the unique needs of the child.
Depending on whether the child is achieving a rate of progress determined by his or her individualized goal, the manner and intensity of intervention will be adjusted. The cycle of progress-monitoring and adjustment of intervention will continue, even if a determination for special education eligibility is made.
RTI as it may be implemented in a particular school
Tier 1 (general education)
In this school, all children start in Tier 1, which consists of a research-based core curriculum. All children are screened at this Tier to determine if they are responding appropriately to instruction before they experience any significant failure in comparison to their peers.
Tier 2 (early intervening services)
In this school, Tier 2 consists of increasing the time and intensity of the child's exposure to the core curriculum for children who do not appear to be responding appropriately to Tier 1 instruction. For instance, an additional 30 minutes per day may be devoted to reading in a small group (3-6 students), with a focus on building accurate and automatic recognition of words in text. Adjustments can be made within Tier 2 to increase time on task or decrease student/teacher ratio. (In some schools such adjustments may be referred to as Tier 3, Tier 4, and so on.)
Tier 3 (intensive intervention)
In this school, Tier 3 includes many children who have been found eligible for special education and related services, and some who have not. Special education eligibility may allow exposure to remedial methods and practices that, although research-based and aligned with the content of the core curriculum, are not necessarily a part of the core curriculum. The cycle of progress-monitoring and adjustment of intervention will continue, even if a determination for special education eligibility is made.
- Note (1): Regular progress monitoring (probes) and charting are required during all Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions.
- Note (2): For The purpose of clarification, this paper views special education as a service (not a place) that may be appropriate for a particular child in Tier 1 and not necessary for another child participating in the highest Tier of RTI. RTI and special education services are independent yet collaborative and share a common mission; that being to improve outcomes for all children.
Procedural Protections
My personal interpretation of the spirit and the letter of the law is that a child should not enter Tier 2 interventions without parents being told that the child has been identified as "at risk," advised as to the instructional strategies being used, and informed of the progress being experienced. Specific parental consent to interventions that don't require eligibility for special education services is not required. If a referral for special education services is made, it must be completed within the time limits required unless extended by mutual written agreement. The purpose of early parent involvement is to foster a relationship where the parent is engaged and empowered to be an "instructional partner." It should be noted that initial interventions serve as a form of dynamic assessment that will help identify many of the false positives (children that are not truly "at risk").
G. Emerson Dickman is the President of the Board of Directors of The International Dyslexia Association, and has been a member of the Board for ten years. He is an attorney who, for over twenty-five years, has specialized in the representation of children with disabilities. Among the cases he has handled are leading precedents protecting the due process rights of pupils in special education and the constitutional rights of adults with developmental disabilities. He was a member of the Professional Advisory Board for the National Center for Learning Disabilities for six years, and Chairman of the protection and advocacy agency for the State of New Jersey for five years.
I enjoyed reading this article and learning that RTI is not a particular method of teaching but a process that aims to learn what form of instruction works best for the student as an individual. When children who are considered to be "at risk" are provided with more opportunities to learn core curriculum, they will have the same opportunities to succeed in academics as their non "at risk" peers.
I was excited to learn that RTI is not an actual method of teaching but a process that aims to learn what type of instruction works best for the individual students. Children learn in many different ways and by screening early it seems we can find what method of instruction works best for each student. By figuring this out early and identifying our "at risk" students, this can help teachers make learning a more positive experience.
Since as many as half of all the children who are identified as "at risk" by early screening may not be truly "at risk", when do they weed out the false positives?
My personally believe that when RTI is used appropriatley it can greatly effect the youth in on schools today. When the article talked about when a student is moved into Tier 2 the parent is notified that there student is AT-RISK, I believe this is a wake up call for most parents. The communication that is used in this stage of the development can be extreemly impactful on the student and the parent alike.
I found this article to be very useful for understanding and breaking down the tiers into intervention levels. I thinks this is helpful for my own kids and my students as well. I enjoyed reading peoples comments and how parents can respond and have input to the school as well.
I completely agree that RTI should be used at all grade levels and with all ages. I also liked the tiers and the section on Teach and intervening.
This article was very educational and helping brake down RTI and the process. I teach 4th and 5th special education and use RTI. This article has given me more insight on the direction I need to lead my students. I believe RTI is a very effective tool in progress monitoring and charting so we can see firsthand if the students are progressing.
I found this article ever educational and insightful. I have heard and read about RTI so many times, but until I read this article I have been confused about a the connection with things. I see now that RTI can be implemented in all classrooms and not just regular education. I teach high school self contained special ed. I would like more direction on how to implement this is my classroom.
I received a better understanding on the RTI and how they are implemented in all classes. Also I understand how the different tiers are broken down for a better understanding.
I am currently a high school special education teacher. I have a few students who could use this form of help with reading because several are below 4th grade reading level. How can I use this and implement it in the classroom?
I too was taken by the comment, "this article views special education as a service, not a place." I believe this is a great way to view special education services and I may have to use this quote and display it on my desk at school!I am also astounded by the simplicity and complexity of RTI. It appears to be such a simple process to follow, yet the sheer magnitude of research and development that has been conducted and implemented is astounding. I think this is a wonderful program and I believe in the near future, we will all be seeing great gains and benefits from this program.
My favorite quote from the article from note #2, " this artice views special education as a service, not a place." My school shares this view. The special education teachers spend much intervention time in the regular education classes serving a variety of tier 2 and tier 3 students. Love the article.
I believe that RTI will be very effective to help students become better readers. This helps for teachers to know where there students are as readers and how much help they need. Dividing students up into different Tier's is a very great way to help the students become better readers. Tier One faster pace students more advanced readersTier Two is the group that is a little slower needs more help so they will not fall behind. Tier Three is the more needed help one-on-one type the students who struggle reading.
RTI is a great process and seems to have many applications and supported results. However, when thinking about implementing, it seems incredibly time consuming. How can a general education classroom teacher keep up with this program with so many students under her? It seems much more applicable for special education.
I was researching about RTI, your article was really helpful. I like your explanation of the Tiers. As a parent concerned with my daughter's education I find schools have so much to improve. They still teaching our kids using an industrial model: one big group, all eyes on the teacher, all learn at the same pace. This leaves little room for creativity. Also, understand when they are supposed to refer them to Special Education is confusing. Some times the schools don't want to spend the money to provide the services students need. I learned some more about RTI and how it is supposed to look like in the school with this video of a School Psychologist:http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4bOY888DDi0I don't think the paradygm is going to change anytime soon, but our kids deserve better than that.
Jo Beth Moses > EL316-474> Building Word Knowledge > > Young children should be introduced to informative text. I agree with these three techniques very helpful teaching student to read and understand what they are reading. Introducing words and discussing the purpose, asking questions what they think is going to happen, makes the students interested in reading to find out. Then retelling the story and after reading it, asking questions to see if they understood the story.>
RTI is a process that helps students who are "at risk" for future reading. This article helps me understand the simply way to and how the process works to help teachers know what level the student is on so they can get extra help on what they are having problems on.
RTI is a process in which schools create to meet the students needs. In the last 3 years, I taught at 3 different school districts and each school had very different processes to help students learn at their full potential. For instance, at one suburban school, the special ed teachers were required to track special ed, ESL, and lower achieving students testing scores and their weaknesses. The special ed teachers collaborated with the general ed teachers to develop strategies to increase their skills. In another state, that school district created tutoring times to help struggling students increase their grades and rewarded the achieving students with "time off" from the school day. At my current district, we are developing ways to assist struggling students through teacher collaboration, scaffolding instruction and assignments, reading and math strategies, and professional development. At this district, we are planning procedures to put into place to use RTI so that we meet struggling students needs.
Holly, I agree that the parents should have more input and given more information especially if they feel as though the child should return to the classroom. My son was in RTI initially for math and then reading in 3rd grade. In 4th grade, his grades are improved (passing all subjects) but not great. Again math is his weakest area (marking period grade 74). Since the end of September they have decided that not only does my child belong in RTI but he should also be tested with Child Study Team for disabilities. I am completely against it and declined for further testing. However, I have recently discovered that my son was taken out of the classroom weeks ago and put in a higher level tier for math with a special education teacher. Apparently, he has not had math with his regular teacher for several weeks. Can they do this without informing me or showing me any proof that this level is needed? I plan on getting opinions from other teachers out of district and consulting with a lawyer.
I am a parent of a student that has been in an RTI program for the last 5 years. At our school the RTI program has a teacher that only teaches RTI, and the children are removed from the classroom to go down to RTI for a certain period of time. While after the first couple of years of this my daughter showed remarkable benefits, the last 3 years she has not shown any improvement in her reading and comprehension. In fact leaving the classroom for RTI has actually started to negatively affect her grades in her other subjects, due to missing out on lessons and instructions. During these last five years I have only received a letter at the beginning of each year stating that my child is being placed in RTI. I recently sent a note to school to let them know I do not want my child to participate in RTI any longer. After looking through this website I believe this is a good program, but that there is no follow up to if the program is actually being used properly and effectively. Is there any way for me to find out if my school is implementing this program properly? I am extremely active in the school and I am even the PTO president, and if I am having these frustrations is there other parents that have the same issues that I am having?
I'm a firm believer of Response to Intervention (RTI), if a student can be identified early on in their education and properly tested to see what tier they need to be placed gives them a better chance of becoming better reader. The fact the this program was designed to filter all students and help the ones who may have fallen through the cracks and give them a chance to have the extra help so they can be successful.
The RTI program is a great program. This is my first year as a special ed teacher. I feel it is very important that these intervention tactics are used in early grades, but I also feel that all grades should be tested to check progression. We as a society must do everything possible to improve our children's literacy rate. This program is a great step in the right direction. This article did a great job in simplifying the RTI program.
This is my first year as a special education teacher. I have studied and read about RTI. This article helps me put together many of the things I that I am learning at my school and what I already knew about RTI.
I find RTI a helpful tool for most teachers. It is important to implement the tiers with knowledge knowing that there can be false positives or self-fulfilled prophecy. As a teacher who works with profoundly disabled students, I find that some teachers are too quick to skip steps of the RTI and place them in my school. Evidence based tools are important to follow and should be respected, not only for the student, but for the teacher to give the best instruction possible to help the student succeed.
RTI is a great intervention to help students become better readers. It is unfortunate that many teachers do not have the time to intervene with the Tier 3 students and most likely the Tier 2 students. This takes extra time and many teachers and trying hard each day to prepare students for the end of the year MAP testing. I am a Special Education teacher and I love it because I can focus on one on one or small group teaching. This allows me to be able to make sure the student is getting all of extra time they need to understand what is being taught. I wish teachers had more time to teach and not just prepare for testing. This intervention sounds group but I think it is a huge challenge.
I believe RTI will help student become better because it let the teacher know where the student needs more attention. The earler we can get the help to the student, the better the success rate.
I like the idea that RTI is an early intervention program that identifies the students and their individual needs based on testing and then follow-ups that are regularly taking place. By placing them in the correct level of instruction we can hopefully prevent those students from falling behind. It is also important that this happens early and that parents, teachers and administration work together to keep these students on track. I believe that this is an excellent program and that proper implementation and follow-up will keep those students on track and be a boost for them as they see the progress that they make.
Thank you for the clarification that RTI does not exclude special education instruction. I had understood that RTI was appropriate before special education placement but not afterwards.
I have not been too familiar with the RTI process before. I am majoring in Physical Education and have taken a few Exceptional child classes these past two semesters, hoping to eventually get my degree in Special Education also. After reading this article, I understand more how the RTI process works. It is important to provide children with opportunities to learn and come up with ways/strategies to help them become successful. Not all students are able to learn the same way. Some students struggle in certain areas, while others do not. It is the role of the teachers to help teach these children using the ways that work best for them.
My interputation of RTI is all students will be screened through research based testing and placed in one of three tiers based on their reading ability. Tier one includes students who need no intervention with regular classroom work. Tier two may involve differentiated instruction, modified assignments or moderate assisance provided by a highly qualified classroom teacher or reading specialist. Tier three involves intense instruction by the highly qualified classroom teacher and reading specialist with referral for possible special education instruction. RTI is being intensely implemented in my school district to assure reading success for all students regardless of social status. Since children learndifferently, RTI is a positive component which allows adjustments to be made for those students needing assistance. RTI allows parents, teachers, and administrators to be a part of the students educational process.
I am a special ed. Teacher for students that are severally handicapped and all the students that I have are not able to read and many are nonverbal I read to them and ask questions about the story being read but they are able to set down and read the book or story independently which tier level would these students fall under?
I am a special ed. Teacher for students that are severally handicapped and all the students that I have are not able to read and many are nonverbal I read to them and ask questions about the story being read but they are able to set down and read the book or story independently which tier level would these students fall under?
RtI uses intial screening of all students. This helps at risk students from slipping through the cracks. The student's difficulties are pinpointed so interventions can be implemented before the student becomes to far behind their peers. By using researched based programs and highly qualified teachers, the students are given the best opportunity to learn the skills they need. I like the fact that progress monitoring is ongoing throughout RtI. Monitoring will show how the student is responding to the interventions. This gives the teacher or administrator the opportunity to adjust skill instruction as needed.
I am also a special education teacher and I am teaching 2nd and 3rd grades. I Like that this article pointed out that RTI is a service and not a placement. I hear so many teachers who teach regular education classes talk about special education being a placement when really, it is simply a service that is provided to these students that qualify to help them succeed in areas they are experiencing difficulty. I really like how this article explains RTI and Reading in a simple and easy to understand form. I also believe and agree 100% that screening and progress monitoring are very important when working with these students because it provides the teacher the level the student is functioning on and we are able to adapt and modify material for each student in order to help them with their difficulties and struggles, especially in Reading.
I am a special education teacher that works in a middle school that teaches to children grades 5th and 6th. This year is the first year that our school has started an RTI program. It is very beneficial to have been learning about the various aspects and goals of an RTI program. Our school is testing every student with an I-Ready test to see if the student is performing where he or she should be for their grade level. Depending on the data, the lowest students are then pulled in with Interventionists and the remaining students are then grouped accordingly with teachers. We will also be retesting every 6 weeks to make sure there does not need to be any adjustments made. I am very excited to be a part of a new program like this. I feel like there are so many children that "fall through the cracks", I believe this program is an excellent way to evaluate the students in need and get them the extra boosts they need to not fall further behind.
Can you give me an example of what you do during an RTI time? Is this basically like additional tutoring on specific reading and math skills or would this be like breaking your whole group reading into small reading groups while the other students are working on center-like activities while you are meeting with one small group at a time?
I have been a reading interventionis in RTI for the past 2 years. The responsibilities placed on teachers has mostly depended on the model each building or distict is using. Our school has the interventionists work with the tier 3 students (the most needful) and each homeroom teacher works with their own tier 2 students (needing a little extra help) in reading and math small groups each day. Tier 1 is every child in the classroom. Everyone recieves tier 1 instruction in the whole-class group each day. Then tier 2 gets a little more help if they need it, but that should only be 12-15% of your students. Then of those tier 2 kids who still need more help from there, they recieve tier 3 intensive instruction in a pull-out group for about 20 minutes each day with a certified interventionist. I have worked in RTI in 3 districts now, but this is the model that my school uses and it has worked well. As far as RTI going away or sticking around, it is actually added to the IDEA law and is current legistlation. Basically, my understanding is that it serves as a kind of filter to see if students can respond with a little extra scaffolding and if they cannot, they need to be tested for services of accommodations. Because it is legislation, it probably will stick around for a while.
I just retired after teaching for 26 years. It was my understanding that the classroom teacher was responsible for quite a bit of RtI, especially the elaborate record keeping. The record keeping is probably part of the reason RtI gets confused with Special Ed. I believe RtI must have been developed by people who do not have classroom experience, because it is not doable in a practical sense. Especially with kids coming in and out of it and some of the management problems, fire drills, assemblies, daily schedule changes to accommodate art, p.e., music, mainstreaming, etc. RtI is, no doubt, well intentioned, but any veteran classroom teacher can tell you, it can't be done consistently and effectively, while continuing to give quality instruction, including the correct number of hours required for each subject, to the rest of the class. The kids needing RtI still have to get all of the core curriculum, even though the teacher has identified them as not "getting it". The RtI is in addition to the regular core curriculum. Given that some of the kids in your class that are identified will qualify for Special Ed., you are expected to remediate kids who would get instruction with a ratio of less than 1 to 5. And, the classroom teacher has, in my state, 31 to 34 kids. I would like to see the paperwork that shows success with RtI. I am a skeptic and believe it will be thrown out, just like No Child Left Behind, another all consuming, totally unrealistic program that wasted time and resources.
I have used RTI Tier 1 strategies. Worked late creating supplements for a 2nd grader who did not know the sound of letter a. Am I supposed to provide Tier 2 and 3 strategies in a regular classroom setting? There are other students with needs and time is limited. How does this work in a practical sense?
I concur with your statements about the intensive challenges of the RTI model. As a teacher you always know who doesn't get it. You even know how/what would help the student to achieve on grade level. The administration of the intervention (in a small group or one on one ) and the intensive record keeping is the part of RTI that is unrealistic. You are still one teacher with an entire class to teach and manage. Who teaches, instructs, and/or monitors the other students while you administer RTI to struggling students?
Everything I have read on-line about T3 suggests a ratio of 1 teacher to 1-3 students.
I have been working with T3 students for this past year (first grade). I started out with 27 T3 kids in my classroom. A reading teacher pushes in 4 days a week for 2/3 of a time. Is there any research that I can show my administrator that for the program to work and the students to succeed, the class size needs to be much smaller than this.
Is there a list of research based reading or math strategies? We often times don't know how to "label" our teaching methods for the Rti process.
Students aren't "placed" in RtI. RtI isn't a placement, but a framework through which students travel in and out of Tiers. Please understand that just because a student can read a chapter book doesn't mean they are comprehending at the same level they are reading. The student's instruction level may be lower than his/her reading level.
If a child walks into 2nd grade and parents say the child has mastered chapter books, the teacher said "no one reads chapter books in this classroom". Then our child is placed in RTI and forced to read "picture books" instead of the chapter book series they love. What is the benefits / purpose of down grading a child's ability??
I am a teacher would you please provide me with some interventions I can use for my student who struggles in the area of reading. She is not able to decode- I need tier 1, 2 and 3 interventions.
Has any school using RTI achieved one hundred percent success of every child in every grade performing on grade level because of the RTI strategies?
Tier II kindergarten - are there any researched based materials that a teacher could use for Tier II with kindergarten students - our current reading series offers nothing


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Oceans 13 movie review
Last weekend we saw another Hollywood flick. There wasn't much on offer by way of Hindi films. Cheeni Kum was out as Amitabh Bachchan is not exactly our favorite actor and some of the other films like Red Swastika (D grade murder mystery) or The Train (terrible reviews) were not what we wanted to see. We could have seen Dharm, and in fact we almost did, but then my husband husband vetoed the idea. He didn't want to watch such a serious movie.
So Oceans 13 it was.
The movie has some real cool characters…er, thieves. Danny (George Clooney), Rusty (Brad Pitt) and Linus (Matt Damon) – who go all out to take revenge when their friend Reuben (Elliott Gould) is cheated in a real estate deal by Willie Banks (Al Pacino). Whew. What a line-up of stars! I guess they were more than half the attraction. I still missed Julia Roberts and Catherine Zeta Zones who were around in the earlier movies.
Somehow, Ellen Barkin's role, (the only woman in the movie) of an ageing, sex-starved assistant of hotel owner Will Banks was rather over the top. She looked more hysterical than anything else during the scene in which she is seduced by Linus.
But otherwise, the film was entertaining…light entertainment though. Smooth, slick and well laid out. Everyone did their parts, but while Brad looked like a hunk, George Clooney looked tired. It was a little disappointing that none of the three main characters had any romantic entanglement…because romance always adds some spice to the story. It was a guys film I guess.
The plot was a trifle artificial…I mean the gang of 13 did everything so easily. All their plans work out so well that it seems like sleight of hand. The plot was also predictable, and one missed the suspense that had been generated in Oceans 11. The movie sizzles with action, excepts for spots of humour. The director, Steven Soderbergh, hasn't made a terribly original flick…you could take a hundred Hollywood movies and find something from each of them in this movie.
The story is basically about how Danny Ocean and his gang try to bring a hotel baron (Al Pacino) down. They want to ruin the hotel's reputation and also steal some diamonds…there are the usual casino scenes, helicopter scenes, rooftop scenes and elavator shaft scenes, as well as an almost bedroom scene. Al Pacino was too mechanical for my liking. He has the same style…whether hero or villain, and in this movie he didn't make too much of an impact as a villain. I was hoping that Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia), the villain from the previous Ocean, would make the plot more interesting, but he had hardly any role. The gang simply approaches him for financing the big caper and thats it. BUT, whats the story really about…? Frankly, difficult to remember. Its one of those movies that you leave inside the theatre. It was two hours and two minutes long, and that was enough.
The theatre was only half full, and this was a Sunday. Certainly this movie is not going to be as big a draw as Pirates…
For more reviews of Hollywood movies go here.
June 13, 2007 12:47 pm
Thank you. Your review offered one of the best quotes we've seen to date, and we've included you in our '100 Bloggers Review Ocean's 13' feature on our homepage.
Your's was the most quietly eloquent quote we've found yet.
Best of luck with your continued writings.


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Extended Cyber Monday at the Shop ends at midnight
Want to know how to use that savings for your holiday shopping? Let's take a look at the most popular items sold on Monday at the MLB.com Shop.
1. Giants fans are reveling in their glory. The top three sellers are ways to celebrate another title. In order, buyers went for the Club House T-shirt, the Legacy of Champions Hood and the A&E Home Video Giants 2012 World Series Collector's DVD Set.
2. The next two items that weren't Giants goodies involved the Cardinals' new "St. Louis" look for 2013. First is the Replica 2013 Alternate Jersey, then Yadier Molina's No. 4 Replica Alternate Jersey. Note: The current buy-one-get-one sale does not apply to those new jerseys.
3. It's never a surprise when the Yankees show up high on the Shop's "hottest sellers" list. We'll list their top two sellers here; both seem appropriate given the snow in New York on Tuesday: the Authentic Triple Peak Premier Jacket and the Men's Custom Hooded Sweatshirt.
4. Though Tigers fans would like a World Series do-over, they are still going wild over their team at the Shop. They come in right behind Yankees buyers, led by sales of the Authentic Triple Peak Premier Jacket and the 2012 Property Of Playoff Hooded Sweatshirt.
5. Everyone seems to want the Astros' new look. Leading the way on Cyber Monday was the club's Authentic Cool Base BP Jersey. You'll see that around the American League cages next season.
6. D-backs fans were busy creating their own Men's Custom Hooded Sweatshirts. And as long as they bought another item of at least the same value, they were doing so for only $25, or half off the usual price for that item.
7. What will Mike Trout do for an encore? Sell a lot of No. 27 stuff. Angels fans are reeling in the Youth Replica Mike Trout Player Jersey from Majestic Athletic. Not far behind that was his Name and Number T-shirt.
8. Red Sox Nation, it looks like you are in good hands. The Red Sox Youth Replica Home Jersey was Boston's top-seller on Cyber Monday, ready to be customized any way a parent desires.
9. How about another Chipper Jones farewell tribute? The Braves No. 10 Replica Home Jersey made the list again.
10. Washington led the Majors in wins during the regular season, and Cyber Monday reflected that success. Leading the way is their Authentic Triple Peak Premier Jacket, followed by Bryce Harper's Youth Replica Jersey and Replica Alternate 1 Red Jersey.
Shipping deadlines will be just around the corner, and we'll keep you updated on key dates along the way. And remember: When in doubt, online gift certificates and MLB.com Gift Cards are safe bets for any fan.


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Frazier shines as UF throttles Marquette
Before most of his teammates hit the floor Thursday night, Florida freshman Michael Frazier II was at the north basket at the O'Connell Center, lofting up extra shots.
"I do that a lot," Frazier said. "Just a normal routine. I try to be first one in the gym, before anyone else."
Behind 17 points off the bench from Frazier and another smothering defensive effort, the No. 7 Gators beat Marquette 82-49 Thursday night at the O'Connell Center.
Florida (6-0) won its first SEC-Big East Challenge game in three tries with a balanced effort. The Gators finished the game with six scorers in double figures. Casey Prather, Mike Rosario and Will Yeguete added 11 points apiece for the Gators. Patric Young and Erik Murphy each had 10.
Defensively, Florida held Marquette to 41.2 percent from the floor, outrebounded the Golden Eagles 37-23 and had five blocked shots. Young added 10 rebounds, while Yeguete chipped in seven.
The rematch of last March's Sweet 16 game between the two teams was far from sweet for Marquette (5-2). The Gators extended a 14-point halftime lead to more than 30 by the end of the game. Vander Blue led the Golden Eagles with 20 points.
It was Marquette's worst loss since a 99-52 loss to Louisville in 2005.
Florida went with a minor adjustment to its starting lineup. Gainesville native Scottie Wilbekin made his first start of the season in a three-guard starting lineup with Kenny Boynton and Rosario. Murphy and Yeguete started up front. Young was demoted to the second team due to attitude issues in practice.
"He didn't practice at the level we needed him to," Donovan said.
Said Young: "I just didn't have a good attitude in practice. Coach, he wants me to be dependable, an everyday guy which I know I can do."
The smaller starting lineup played with energy for the Gators early. Florida jumped to an early 18-11 lead, playing strong defense and getting a couple of early 3-pointers from Frazier.
Florida maintained its lead for the remainder of the first half. After a Blue 3-pointer cut Florida's lead to 30-22, the Gators responded with an 8-0 run. Yeguete hit a runner in the lane against Marquette's zone defense, and Frazier hit two more 3-pointers in transition.
The Gators led 38-24 at halftime, holding Marquette to 37.9 percent shooting. Florida had four first-half blocked shots while outrebounding the Golden Eagles 19-13.
Frazier went 4-for-6 from 3-point range in the first half and finished the game 5-of-8 from beyond the arc.
"The basket was looking a little bigger for me, that's for sure," Frazier said. "My teammates just did a great job of finding me."
After scoring 21 points in Florida's exhibition win over Nebraska-Kearney, Frazier came into the game shooting just 25 percent from 3-point range.
"I think with a freshman, you try to be encouraging," Donovan said. "Mike is a better shooter than what he had shown early this season. What's kept him on the floor is his ability to rebound from the small forward. But he was putting some extra time in during the week in practice and it showed tonight."
When told Frazier was the first player at the O'Connell Center on Thursday night, Donovan responded: "He's always been like that. He's got a great work ethic."
Florida carried its defensive intensity over to the second half, forcing a 24-second violation on Marquette's first possession. The Gators opened the second half with a 9-0 run. Murphy scored five straight points on an inside basket and 3-pointer. Boynton then followed with a mid-range jumper, and Yeguete scored on a pretty inside pass from Young, extending UF's lead to 47-24.
FREE THROWS: Florida will not make up its game against Georgetown that was called at halftime due to condensation issues on the deck of the USS Bataan. Florida was leading 27-23 at halftime. A date of Jan. 2 was proposed to finish the second half at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Coliseum, but Georgetown officials felt it was too close to the start of the Big East Conference schedule on Jan. 5. … With six points against Marquette, Boynton (1,676 points) is two points shy of Stacey Poole (1,678 points) for fifth on UF's all-time scoring list.


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Beautiful People. By Wendy Holden. Sourcebooks Landmark, 420 pp., $14.99, paperback.
By Janice Harayda
Wendy Holden's ninth novel shows little of the satirical verve on display in her Farm Fatale and Bad Heir Day, both as fizzy and delicious as a Kir Royale. Beautiful People resembles a conventional wine from the Tuscan hills, the setting for the working-out of the romantic and professional dilemmas of its three heroines – a kind Yorkshire-bred nanny, a London-based actress from a theatrical dynasty similar to the Redgraves, and an apparently American film star whose career is tanking.
Holden serves up few savory bits for star-gazers in this international romp: Did you know that Madonna has outwitted paparazzi by wearing the same black tracksuit for three years while jogging to "make the pictures look the same as they had for the last three years and render the image unsellable"? Or that David Bowie hides in plain sight on the Underground by wearing cheap sunglasses and reading a Turkish newspaper?
But Holden drags her plot sideways by beginning her novel with a chapter on sub-lead characters, and she never quite gets it back on a fast, straight track. And even the keenest fans of her much-admired gift for wordplay may wonder: Did she really intend have two characters whose names are variations on the word "cockroach"?
Best line: "Mitch still had no idea why Belle's studio had imagined that a film about an uptight, pyromaniac, religious nutcase was a suitable vehicle for her." This line comes closer than any other to having the over-the-top flair that made Holden's early novels so appealing.
Worst line: No. 1: "It takes a lot of money to look that cheap." If you're going to reheat a line Dolly Parton has been using for years, if not decades, doesn't she deserve a credit? No. 2: "there were iPod earphones curling around his neck." In the U.S., they're called ear buds. The term may be different in Britain, where Holden lives, but if not, anybody who is writing about style-setters needs to get details like this right.
Published: April 2010
Conflict alert: Sourcebooks published my second novel, Manhattan on the Rocks.
About the author: Holden lives in England, where her novels has appeared repeatedly on best-seller lists.
Read excerpts from Beautiful People and other novels by Holden.
Furthermore: A review of Holden's entertaining Bad Heir Day appeared on this site Dec. 19, 2006, in a post that also had comments on her Farm Fatale and Simply Divine.
Janice Harayda is an award-winning journalist who has been the book columnist for Glamour and the book editor of the Plain Dealer. You can also follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/janiceharayda.
© 2010 Janice Harayda. All rights reserved.


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G.K. Chesterton
Soul Urge (Heart Desire) Number 3
" Beware of no man more than yourself; we carry our worst enemies within us."
G.K. Chesterton was an English writer, lay theologian, poet, philosopher, dramatist, journalist, orator, literary and art critic, biographer, and Christian apologist, who is often referred to as the "prince of paradox".
He was born on Friday May 29th 1874, in London, England.
G.K. Chesterton loves a good time. He is generally happy, friendly, and outgoing. Gilbert has a gift for gab. He is very witty, creative, and playful. Chesterton inspires and entertains people, and considered by many a great companion.
Many outstanding comedians have this Soul number. G.K. Chesterton has a good mental and emotional balance and there is little that gets him down.
Gilbert has a gift for self expression and is drawn to the verbal arts - writing, acting, singing, and poetry. He may have a great talent in one of these areas. If his creativity is blocked or suppressed, Chesterton tends to daydream and fantasize. His imagination needs a constructive outlet; otherwise, it may run away with him.
At the same time, G.K. Chesterton may have great difficulty expressing his deeper feelings and important personal thoughts. He prefers to stay on the surface, entertaining people with his wit.
If Gilbert fails to deal honestly with his inner nature, he may succumb to compulsive talking. Such behavior may be merely a way of siphoning off emotional energy that is building beneath his surface. G.K. Chesterton's deeply felt emotional life cannot be avoided or suppressed. But he possesses the talent to channel these feelings into highly creative and artistic form. Art and self-expression are his outlets.
G.K. Chesterton needs discipline to make full use of his abilities. Too often, he may scatter his energies in many directions, beginning projects that are never finished and never really succeeding in anything.
Chesterton's success depends on his ability to commit to his work and to see it through to completion. G.K. Chesterton has so much creativity and inspiring upward energy that he is in desperate need of an anchor. Hard work and discipline serve this purpose and bring out the best in him.
Because Gilbert is gifted with such a sparkling personality, he is tempted to stay on the surface and play with life. Chesterton is confident and loves the attention others give him, but these characteristics can lead to vanity and self-absorption.
G.K. Chesterton has the potential to live a very full and successful life thanks to his talent for artistic self expression. The key to G.K. Chesterton's success is a balance between the creative forces and self-disclose.
You and Gilbert
About Gilbert's Soul Urge (Heart's Desire) number
G.K. Chesterton's Soul Urge number represents his inner self. The Soul Urge number, also called Heart's Desire, shows Gilbert's underlying urge - his true motivation.
It reveals the general intention behind many of Chesterton's actions. Consequently, it dramatically influences the choices G.K. Chesterton makes in life.
Read more about our interpretation of G.K. Chesterton's soul urge (heart's desire)


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Visit the gateway to Asia and be transported to a vibrant world of rich cultures, local flavors, dramatic landscapes and iconic skylines.Learn More »
Whether you're a food lover, culture buff or thrill-seeker, Singapore has a wide selection of memorable leisure options, all within easy reach.View Vacations »
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Singapore is a small, diamond-shaped island country in Southeast Asia. With humble origins as a fishing village, Singapore has transformed itself into a dynamic, cutting edge city while still maintaining its historical and cultural charm. Singapore, having just celebrated 50 years of independence in 2015, is a young, vibrant country that has become a global economic powerhouse and top destination for Americans traveling to Asia. Singapore's exotic landscapes contrast beautifully with stunning new sky-scrapers, ethnically diverse neighborhoods, a harmonious blend of cultures, verdant greenery throughout the island and a mouth-watering food scene that leaves nothing to be desired.


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Cellphone trade show
The Firefox OS will land in a crowded environment, where many small operating systems are trying to become the "third eco-system," alongside Apple's iOS and Google's Android.
Gary Kovacs, Mozilla CEO. Photo: EFE
Mozilla, the non-profit foundation behind the popular Firefox Web browser, is getting into phones. But it's not stopping at Web browsers, it's launching an entire phone operating system.
The Mountain View, Calif.-based foundation said Sunday that phones running Firefox OS will appear this summer, starting in Brazil, Colombia, Hungary, Mexico, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia, Spain and Venezuela.
The Firefox OS will land in a crowded environment, where many small operating systems are trying to become the "third eco-system," alongside Apple's iOS and Google's Android. Together, those two account for 91 percent of smartphone sales, according to research firm IDC.
Mozilla Foundation has an ally in phone companies, who are interested in seeing an alternative to Apple and Google, particularly one coming from a non-profit foundation.
Eighteen phone companies around the world have committed to supporting Firefox phones, Mozilla said. They include Sprint Nextel in the U.S., Telecom Italia, America Movil of Mexico and Deutsche Telekom of Germany. DT is the parent of T-Mobile USA, but plans to sell Firefox phones first in Poland. Sprint didn't say when it would release a Firefox phone in the U.S.
Phone makers that plan to make Firefox phones include Huawei and ZTE of China and LG of Korea. The first devices will be inexpensive touchscreen smartphones.
All the phones will run on chips supplied by San Diego-based Qualcomm Inc., whose CEO Paul Jacobs appeared at Mozilla's press event Sunday in Barcelona, Spain, on the eve of the world's largest cellphone trade show.
The industry has seen various attempts to launch "open" smartphone operating systems, with little success. Jay Sullivan, vice president of products at Mozilla, said these failed because they were designed "by committee," with too many constituents to please.
While developing and supporting the Firefox browser, Mozilla has learned to develop large-scale "open" projects effectively, he said.
He also said that putting quality third-party applications on Firefox phones will be easy, because they're based on HTML 5, an emerging standard for Web applications. "Firefox OS has achieved something that no device software platform has previously managed - translating an industry talking shop into a huge commitment from both carriers and hardware vendors at its commercial launch,'' said Tony Cripps, an analyst at research firm Ovum.
"Neither Android nor Symbian, the closest benchmarks in terms of broad industry sponsorship that we've previously seen, have rallied the level of support that Firefox OS has achieved so early in its development."
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Arzrock Commercial
Do Azrock Commercial Flooring products meet all ADA requirements?
Yes, all products meet the minimum coefficient of friction standards set forth in the ADA standards for level floors.
Where can these products be used?
We have a full line of flooring products to provide multiple solutions to flooring problems. Please refer to our "Flooring Solutions" page to help you select the right product for your application.
Can any of these products be used outside?
No, all of our commercial flooring is manufactured for interior use.
Will your products stand up to heavy commercial traffic?
Yes, all Azrock Commercial Flooring products are manufactured for commercial use. Please refer to our Technical page for specific test results.
Are your commercial flooring products no maintenance?
No, all commercial flooring requires commercial maintenance.
How do I make sure that my specifications ensure that I will get the product that I select?
Use the CSI formatted specifications contained in this website and do not allow substitution of alternate products.
Why do some Vinyl Composition Tiles cost more than others?
More complex visuals require more complex manufacturing and produce lower yields.
How long will Slip Resistant properties last?
Our Slip Resistant tile is manufactured using our Thru the Thickness patterning and the hard particle composition extends throughout the thickness of the tile.
Will I get the right return for the investment?
The best way to ensure the greatest return for your investment is to specify the products which solve the flooring problem. Our "Flooring Solutions" page will help you maximize your budget to solve your problem.
Does your vinyl composition tile meet Thru Chip Specifications? Why is your VCT different in visual on the back than the front?
Azrock tile is manufactured to meet or exceed ASTM E1066-95. Part of our manufacturing process ensures dimensional stability but on some Azrock VCT patterns the color chips are striated on the back. The visual appearance is in no way related to the performance of the floor.
Is it important to specify the floor adhesive and floor maintenance products recommended by Azrock on a project?
By specifying and requiring the use of Azrock recommended adhesives and floor maintenance products, you will assure the products used will be compatible with Azrock Commercial Flooring products.
Does Azrock offer any "green" floor products?
Yes, Azrock has Linosom Linoleum. Click on Linosom Linoleum in the menu and you can get more information about this product.
Are Azrock Slip Resistant tiles considered to be "safety floor" material?
No, Azrock Slip Resistant tile is not considered a "safety floor".
Which Azrock Commercial floor products can be heat-welded?
Series 8000, Linosom and Somplan products can all be heat-welded.
Which products would be recommended for a clean room application?
Azrock's Somplan product line offers products that will normally work in a clean room environment. Please refer to the Federal specifications section for more detailed information to determine the acceptability of Somplan for your particular needs.


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Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon
Cuisine: Steakhouse / Burgers / Seafood
Openings: Open Lunch & Dinner daily
- Dress code: Casual
- Kid-friendly
Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon Restaurant Review:
If you're hungry for a steak dinner with Texas pizzazz, this chain gets the job done. If it's culinary originality you seek, this isn't the place. In Lone Star's defense, however, the large, juicy steaks and bacon and blue cheese-topped burgers arrive sans pretension hot off the grill. If beef doesn't appeal, there are chicken and seafood options as well at this family-friendly chain. But whatever you order, include the thick, hot and salty wedges of potatoes (steak fries) on the side and conclude your meal with the brownie fudge sundae. Other locations.